Recognizing, Evaluating, and Controlling
Chemical Hazards to Reduce Occupational
Exposure to Hazardous Waste in Academic
Laboratories
By: Steve Rupkey, CIH
Safety/QA Manager
Argonne National Laboratory
AGENDA
Background
Anticipation
&
Recognition
Evaluation
Control
 Disclaimer
 Toxicology
 Qualitative
 Elimination
 Take A Way
 Health Effects
 Quantitative
 Engineering
 Overview of IH
 Routs of Entry
 Administrative
 Responsibility
 Exposure Limits
 PPE
 Characteristics
2
DISCLAIMER
Not covering every IH concept or all hazard types, e.g.
–
–
–
–
–
–
Ye Olde
Disclaimer
Physical & Health Hazards
Electrical Safety
Noise
Radiation
Ergonomics
Emergency Response
For informational purposes only.
Your Site ESH professional is your best resource!
3
TAKE A WAY
Apply industrial hygiene concepts
Predict your exposure to airborne hazardous waste
ANTICIPATION
RECOGNITION
EVALUATION
CONTROL
4
INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE
Four Fundamental Elements
ANTICIPATION
RECOGNITION
EVALUATION
5
CONTROL
INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE
Anticipation – Proactive
ANTICIPATION
RECOGNITION
EVALUATION
CONTROL
Anticipation/recognition of potential or actual hazards
• “cradle-to-grave” concept (research through waste disposal)
6
INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE
Recognition – Judgment of Exposure Potential
ANTICIPATION
RECOGNITION
EVALUATION
CONTROL
Anticipation/recognition of potential or actual hazards through
knowledge of:
• Draws upon your knowledge of
 Materials – Operations – Processes – Conditions
7
INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE
Evaluation – Stressor and
ANTICIPATION
RECOGNITION
EVALUATION
CONTROL
Evaluation of the level of risk:
•
•
•
•
Measurement of exposure intensity
Determination of exposure frequency, and duration
Comparison with regulatory, professional, and internal standards
Judgment: weigh all factors
8
INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE
Control – Prevention
ANTICIPATION
RECOGNITION
EVALUATION
Methods to eliminate or reduce exposure
•
•
•
•
Elimination / Substitution
Engineering Controls
Administrative Controls
PPE
9
CONTROL
INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE
Estimating Risk of Exposures
Need to understand
• Toxicity
• Physical and Chemical properties
• Manner and quantity handled
These factors help determine:
•
•
•
•
How much enters the body
Route of entry into the body
Frequency of exposure
Duration of exposure
10
RESPONSIBILITY
Teamwork keeps everyone safe and healthy
Researchers, HSE personnel and contractors are the
frontline persons responsible for meeting this goal.
Examples of HSE programs that are critical to meeting this goal:
•
•
•
•
•
•
RCRA – Marking, Handling and Storage
DOT – Shipping Hazardous Materials
OSHA 1910.120(q) – Emergency Response
Chemical Hygiene Plan – Waste handling
Hazard Communication – Understanding the hazards
Personal Protective Equipment – Last line of protection
11
ANTICIPATION / RECOGNITIION
You need an understanding of ....
Toxicology / Health Effects – How material effects the body
Routs of Entry – How it enters the body
Exposure Limits - How much is allowed
Physical Properties of Chemicals – How will it behave
12
TOXICOLOGY
Dose Makes The Poison
“All chemicals are
poisons, there are
none that are not.
The difference
between a cure
and a poison is
the dose”
Paracelsus (14931541)
13
TOXICOLOGY
Exposure VS. Absorbed Dose
Exposure - substance available for potential contact with the body
Environmental
Stressors
EXPOSURE
DOSE
• Intensity
• Frequency
• Duration
Absorbed
Dose
• Bioavailability
• Genetics
• Susceptibility
Routes of Entry
Absorbed Dose - amount of substance that contacts the body and is available to
cause a reaction
14
TOXICOLOGY
Toxicity VS. Hazard VS. Risk
Toxicity
Degree to which a substance can harm
an exposed organism.
Hazard
Potential for a substance to cause harm
(toxicity + dose)
Risk
Measurement or estimate of hazard
15
TOXICOLOGY
What more toxic, hazardous and riskier?
What’s more toxic
• Mercury vapors
• Sodium chloride (table salt)
What’s more hazardous?
• Putting a thermometer in your mouth
• Ingesting 2 pounds of sodium chloride
What’s more risky?
• It depends
16
TOXICOLOGY
Dose-Response Relationship
LD50
(Percent)
Response
100
NOEL = Highest data point at which
there was not an observed
affect of interest
LOEL
50
LOEL = Lowest data point at which
there was an observed affect
of interest
NOEL
0
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Dose (mg/kg body weight)
40
45
TOXICOLOGY
Response depends on many factors
• Dose
• Rate of generation
• Physical state
• Temperature
• Genetics
• Site of contact with body
• General health of
individual
18
ACUTE EFFECTS
High concentration, short duration, short response
time
Skin irritation - Reversible damage
-
Acetonitrile (Skin irritation – 3)*
Skin corrosion - Irreversible tissue damage
-
Grignard reagents (Skin corrosion - 1B)*
Eye Irritation – Reversible damage
-
Graphite flakes (Eye Irritation - 1B)*
Serious Eye Damage – Irreversible tissue damage
-
Hydrazine (Seri Eye Dam - 1)*
*Source: Sigma Aldrich
2012 HazCom Terms
ACUTE EFFECTS
Acute Toxicity (Oral, Dermal, Inhalation)
Single or multiple dose of a substance ~ 4- 24 hrs.
Cat 1: LD50 (oral) -- oral dose/rats ≤ 5 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg)
-
Dimethyl mercury (Acute Tox – 1, Dermal)*
Cat 2: LD50 (oral) -- oral dose/rats > 5 and ≤ 50 mg/kg
-
Mercury nitrate monohydrate (Acute Tox – 2, Oral) *
Cat 3. LD50 (oral) -- oral dose/rats > 50 and ≤ 300 mg/kg
-
Nickel chloride (Acute Tox – 3, Oral) *
Cat 4. LD50 (oral) -- oral dose/rats > 300 and ≤ 2000 mg/kg
-
Potassium perchlorate (Acute tox – 4, Oral) *
*Source: Sigma Aldrich
2012 HazCom Terms
ACUTE EFFECTS
Perspective
Cat. 1
Cat. 2
Cat. 3
Cat. 4
*Source: Prudent Practices,
CHRONIC EFFECTS
Low concentration, long-term exposures
Carcinogens - Induce cancer or increase its incidence
– Benzene (Carcinogen – 1A) *
Reproductive – Effects sexual function and fertility and development of the
offspring
– Karl-Fisher reagent (Reproductive toxicity – 1B) *
Mutagens - Inheritable genetic changes, may effect your offspring or their
offspring
– Benzene (Mutagen – 1B) *
*Source: Sigma Aldrich
2012 HazCom Terms
22
ACUTE - CHRONIC EFFECTS
Tweeners (my term)
Skin Sensitizers - allergic response
Respiratory Sensitizers - hypersensitivity of the airways
Specific target organ toxicity - single exposure, (STOT-SE) means specific,
non- lethal target organ toxicity.
Specific target organ toxicity - repeated exposure (STOT-RE) means specific
target organ toxicity
23
HEALTH EFFECTS
ANTAGONISTIC
ADDITIVE
SYNERGISTIC
2+2=4
2 + 2 = 10
3 + (-2) = 1
POTENTIATING
Exposure to
Chemical
Combinations
2 + 0 = 10
24
ROUTES OF ENTRY
Contact with the body
Occupational Routes of Entry
• Inhalation
• Skin contact/skin absorption
• Ingestion
• Injection
25
INHALATION
Respiratory system – Largest surface area
Once inhaled, chemicals are either exhaled or deposited in the
respiratory tract.
If deposited, damage can occur through direct contact with tissue or
the chemical may diffuse into the blood through the lung-blood
interface.
Upon contact with tissue in the upper respiratory tract or lungs,
chemicals may cause health effects ranging from simple irritation to
severe tissue destruction.
Substances absorbed into the blood are circulated and distributed to organs that have an
affinity for that particular chemical. Health effects can then occur in the organs, which are
sensitive to the toxicant.
26
SKIN CONTACT / ABSORPTION
Largest organ in the body – 2 m2
Skin contact can cause health effects ranging from relatively innocuous (redness or
mild dermatitis) to more severe destruction of skin tissue.
Many chemicals can also cross the skin barrier
and be absorbed into the blood system.
Once absorbed, they may produce systemic
damage to internal organs
The eyes are particularly sensitive to chemicals. Even a short exposure can cause
severe effects to the eyes or the substance can be absorbed through the eyes and
be transported to other parts of the body causing harmful effects.
27
INGESTION
Typically an inadvertent exposure route
• Can swallow via mucus from respiratory system
• Chemicals that are insoluble in the fluids of the
gastrointestinal tract (stomach, small, and large intestines)
are generally excreted.
• Others that are soluble are absorbed through the lining of
the gastrointestinal tract.
• They are then transported by the blood to internal organs
where they can cause damage.
28
INJECTION
Sub cutaneous
Substances may enter the body if the skin is penetrated or
punctured by contaminated objects.
Effects can then occur as the substance is circulated in the
blood and deposited in the target organs.
29
FATE
Metabolism, storage, and excretion
Metabolized - Transformed via chemical reactions in the body
Stored in specific organs -
Storage may reduce metabolism and
therefore, increase the persistence of the chemicals in the body.
Excreted - The various excretory mechanisms (exhaled breath, perspiration,
urine, feces, or detoxification) rid the body, over a period of time, of the chemical.
For some chemicals elimination may be a matter of days or months; for others,
the elimination rate is so low that they may persist in the body for a lifetime and
cause deleterious effects.
30
EXPOSURE LIMITS
Established for many, not all
The concentration to which nearly
all healthy workers may be
repeatedly exposed, day after day,
without adverse health effects.
31
EXPOSURE LIMITS
Limitations
 NOT a relative index of toxicity
 NOT a fine line between healthy and unhealthy
 NOT protective of all workers
Below
Healthy
E
L
x u i
p r m
o e i
s
t
32
Above
Unhealthy
EXPOSURE LIMITS
Also for physical hazards
•
•
•
•
•
•
Noise
Heat Stress
Cold Stress
Vibrations
Ionizing Radiation
Non-Ionizing Radiation
33
EXPOSURE LIMITS
General units of substance allowed in air
Gases / Vapors (ppm)
• parts per million
Particulates / Aerosols
(mg/m3)
• milligrams per cubic meter
Fibers (f/cc)
• fibers per cubic centimeter
34
EXPOSURE LIMITS
A little perspective
A ppm is:
– 1/16 of an inch in a mile
– 1 penny in $10,000
– 1 minute in two years
– 1 dime in a one-mile-high
stack of pennies
A ppb is:
– One drop of ink in the largest tanker trucks used to haul gasoline
35
EXPOSURE LIMITS
Primary organization who sets OELs
Permissible Exposure Limits
(PEL) – The Law
Threshold Limit Values
(TLV) – Volunteer (best practice)
Recommended Exposure Limits
(REL) - Volunteer
36
EXPOSURE LIMITS
Different types of OELs
Time-WeightedAverage
(TWA)
8 - hour workday
Short-Term
Exposure Limits
Ceiling Limits
(STEL)
(C)
15-minutes
15 - minutes
37
Peak
10-minutes
EXPOSURE LIMITS
Exposures are average concentrations over time sampled
Peak 500 ppm
Ceiling 200 ppm
STEL 150 ppm
8–hr TWA 100 ppm
Zero ppm
0
1
2
3
4
HOURS
38
5
6
7
8
EXPOSURE LIMITS
Skin (S) notation - TLV
There can be a significant exposure due to skin, eye, or mucous
membrane contact with the vapors, liquids or solids or by direct
contact.
Ability to cause irritation, dermatitis, or sensitization is not
considered relevant. Excludes irritant or corrosive effects in the
absence of systemic toxicity
methyl mercury
EXPOSURE LIMITS
Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH)
An acute respiratory exposure:
• Poses an immediate threat to loss of life, immediate or
delayed irreversible adverse effects on health
• Acute eye exposure that would prevent escape from a
hazardous atmosphere
40
EXPOSURE LIMITS
You should try to understand why the OEL was set
OEL
Substance
To Prevent
Agency
10 ppm
Acetic acid
Acute irritation
OSHA
50 ppm
Carbon monoxide
Stress on cardiovascular system
OSHA
200 ppm
Acetaldehyde
Eye irritation
OSHA
1000 ppm
Acetone
CNS (dizziness)
OSHA
 NOT a relative index of toxicity
Best Resource: ACGIH’s Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values for
Chemical Substances and Physical Agents & Biological Exposure Indices
41
Knowledge of the physical state of matter can help anticipate
its movement in the air near your “Breathing Zone”.
42
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Physical States of Matter
43
SOLIDS – Dust and Particulates
Dusts
Particles from mechanical grinding or crushing
Particulates
Granular
Fine solid or liquid particles
• Dust (0.1 – 30 μm)
• Mists (0.01 – 10 μm)
• Aerosols (0.01 – 10 μm)
• Fumes
• Smoke
C44
SOLIDS – Dust and Particulates
Have a large combined surface area
Can:
• Behave like gases
• Stay airborne for long periods
• Easily be inhaled
• Form explosive mixtures
• Be toxic and corrosive
• Be combustible and flammable
• Slough off material when handled
45
LIQUIDS
Viscosity
The state of being thick, sticky, and semifluid in consistency, due to internal
friction.
Low Viscosity
•
Acetone
•
Milk
•
Water
High Viscosity
• Oil
• Gelatinous
•
Paste
C46
LIQUIDS
Liquids flow
Can:
• Be toxic and corrosive
• Be absorbed through the skin and
mucus membranes
• Cause contact related health effects
47
VAPORS
Form from solids and liquids
Can:
Evaporation affected by:
• Be absorbed through the skin
and mucus membranes
• Cause contact related health
effects
• Form in the head space
• Form when chemicals mix
• Evaporate to form toxic,
corrosive and/or flammable
vapors!
• Air Speed
• Temperatures
• Relative Humidity
Don’t
confuse
vapors with
“fumes”
48
GASES
Fill the space in which it is generated
Can:
• Can be toxic and/or corrosive
• Flammable or cryogenic
• Can be lighter than air
• Can be heavier than air
49
VAPOR PRESSURE
Tendency to evaporate and become a gas
Usually expressed mm Hg
The higher the vapor pressure, the greater the
tendency of the substance to evaporate
Chemical
VP mm Hg
Temperature (°F)
Ethylene Glycol
4
68
Water
18
68
Acetaldehyde
740
68
Nitrous oxide
42453
77
50
Directly
related to
temp.
GAS & VAPOR DENSITY
Can be lighter, heavier, or same density as air (air = 1)
• Lighter than air (< 1)
VD of gasoline = 3 – 4
• Will tend to rise
• Where would you expect the
vapors to accumulate?
• Air (1) (MW = 30)
Ventilation
plays a
role
• Heavier than air (> 1)
• Will tend to sink
51
COMPATIBILITY
Can be a good or bad characteristic
When chemicals can remain in
contact indefinitely without
reaction, they are compatible.
May not always produce a
hazard.
52
INCOMPATIBILE
Can generate and release
Flammable vapors  Hazardous energies  Toxic vapors
Sodium
hypochlorite
Acid
Fumes
Always
know
the
Chlorine
compatibility
Hydrogen
Halide
before
Ammonia
combining
Nitrogen
Oxides
substances
Oxygen
53
Ammonia
cameochemicals.noaa.gov/reactivity
ANTICIPATION / RECOGNITIION
Summary
Toxicology
Health
Effects
Exposure
Routes
Exposure
Limits
How
Chemicals
Behave
Chemical
54
Compatibility
EVALUATION
Evaluate your potential exposure
Based on your of knowledge:
– How stressors might
behave
– Now they may interact
with your body
55
EVALUATION
Thought Exercise - Combine your knowledge
– Properties of chemicals
– Work practices and control methods
My educated judgment gives me
an approximate exposure
Exposure
Assessment
Qualitative vs.
Quantitative
The monitoring results give me
an actual exposures
56
RECOGNITION
EVALUATION
(Qualitative)
Qualitative Exposure Assessment
Judgment on whether a worker will be exposed over the OEL or
conservatively, ½ the OEL (action level)
57
EVALUATION (Qualitative)
Assessing your risk of airborne exposure
Risk is the chance or possibility of
an adverse outcome
You need to evaluate the risks to assess if your are
potentially exposed to an environmental stressor
over an occupational overexposure limit
58
EVALUATION (Qualitative)
Airborne Exposure Assessment










Health Effects (Exposure Limits)
Physical state of matter
Concentration
Properties of physical state
Quantity Used
Length of Time Exposed
Type of Work Performed
Work Conditions
Ventilation
History of Overexposure
Environmental Stressor Properties must be weighed against
the Risks Factors
59
RECOGNITION
EVALUATION
(Qualitative)
Stressor Properties
Ask yourself:
EXPOSURE
LIMIT
Is there an OEL?
–
–
–
–
OSHA
ACGIH
NIOSH
AIHA
100 ppm
Do you know why the limit
was set?
60
RECOGNITION
EVALUATION
(Qualitative)
Stressor Properties
Ask yourself:
8 Hr TWA
15 Min STEL
10 Min Ceiling
What type of limit?
– Combination
– Different concentrations
61
RECOGNITION
EVALUATION
(Qualitative)
Stressor Properties
Ask yourself:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
62
Does the substance emit vapors?
Does it evaporate quickly?
Is it a fine powder?
Will it pour quickly?
Is there a reaction by-product?
It the mixture more toxic?
Can I smell it?
Is there an odor threshold?
There are times that you can
smell odors at concentrations
many times lower than an
exposure limit.
Odor vs. toxicity
• benzene – sweet and carcinogen
• skunk – brutal and irritant
Olfactory fatigue
• hydrogen sulfide –
now you smell it… now you don’t
Warning properties
• mercaptans added to natural gas to give
the characteristic odor
• carbon monoxide – no odor
63
Selected Odor Thresholds
Chemical
Odor Low
Odor High
Description
Irritating
Conc.
Exposure Limit
(ACGIH)
Acetone
20 ppm
679 ppm
Misty Chemical,
Sweet
200 ppm
500 ppm –8 hr
750 ppm - STEL
Benzene
1.4 ppm
85 ppm
Sweet, solvent
2,800 ppm
0.5 ppm – 8 hr
2.5 ppm - STEL
Ethyl Benzene
2.0 ppm
200 ppm
Aromatic
200 ppm
100 ppm – 8 hr
125 ppm - STEL
Hydrogen
Sulfide
0.0005
ppm
0.01 ppm
Rotten eggs
10 ppm
5 ppm – 8 hr
15 ppm - STEL
Perchloroethylene
4.6 ppm
69 ppm
Chlorinated
solvent
200 ppm
25 ppm – 8 hr
100 ppm - STEL
Toluene
2.0 ppm
40 ppm
Rubbery,
mothballs
200 ppm
50 ppm – 8 hr
Xylene
0.08 ppm
40 ppm
Sweet
100 ppm
100 ppm – 8 hr
150 ppm - STEL
To be used as guidelines only
Are subjective and differ from person to person
RECOGNITION
EVALUATION
(Qualitative)
Stressor Properties
No OELs, ask:
Other safety hazards?
• Fire, explosion and/or corrosion
risks
• Potential for environmental
contamination
• Slip, trips, falls
• Ergonomics
• Heat stress
• Cryogenics
• Cuts
65
EVALUATION (Qualitative)
Stressor Properties
Ask yourself:
• Whether you may be exposed over the OEL using Risk
Factors as a guideline
66
EVALUATION (Qualitative)
Risk Factors
Ask yourself questions like:
• How much chemical will be handled?
• How long will I be exposed?
• Will the type of work performed generate airborne chemicals?
• Will the work involve exposure to physical agents?
• Is there adequate ventilation?
• Will the chemicals be handled outdoors vs. indoors?
• Has their been an overexpose in the past?
67
EVALUATION (Qualitative)
Risk Factors
How much chemical will I handled?
• Total amount, surface area, etc.
– The larger the surface area the more vapors are evaporated
• Quantity must be balanced against hazardous nature of the material
• However: small quantities of highly toxic or reactive substances can
create significant risk
68
EVALUATION (Qualitative)
Risk Factors
How long will I be exposed?
• The shorter the work process the less exposure duration
• However: a short amount of exposure to a highly toxic or reactive
substance can create significant risk.
69
EVALUATION (Qualitative)
Risk Factors
Will the type of work performed generate a release?
• Pouring
• Mixing mixing
• Transferring
• What if I break a container
• Outdoors
–
70
Hot & sunny vs. cold & cloudy
EVALUATION (Qualitative)
Example 
Consolidating HPLC Waste
Potential
Ventilation
•Contaminants
1-2 minutes
per Task
bottle
Exposure
Duration
Bottles /
Day
VP
OELs
Why OEL?
200 ppm TWA
250 ppm STEL
Skin
Eye Irr.
Headache
s
Methanol
(40%)
General
Pour from
collection
container into
55 gal drum
1-2
minutes
per bottle
4
127.2 mm
Hg
(77°)
Acetonitrile
(59%)
General
Pour from
collection
container into
55 gal drum
1-2
minutes
per bottle
4
91.1 mm Hg
(77°)
20 ppm
Skin
Systemic
effects
Various
Analytes (1%)
General
Pour from
collection
container into
55 gal drum
1-2
minutes
per bottle
4
Various
Various
Various
What else would you ask?
71
EVALUATION (Qualitative)
Risk Factors
Is there adequate ventilation?
Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV)
• Can remove airborne agent at the generation
source and greatly reduce the airborne
concentration
General Ventilation
• Less effective than LEV
• Can reduce airborne concentration by dilution
72
EVALUATION (Qualitative)
Risk Factors
History of personnel
being overexposed during
this work task?
• Look at OSHA Logs
Is there a specific OSHA
Regulation where you assume
overexposure until proven
otherwise?
• Ask site ESH personnel
• Ask workers about past projects
with air sampling
• Lead
• Asbestos
• Hexavalent Chromium
73
EVALUATION (Qualitative)
Symptoms of Exposure
Identify sign & symptoms of
exposure.
If you experience any of the
listed signs and symptoms of
overexposure then you may
be overexposed.
74
EVALUATION (Qualitative)
Common Acute Health Effects
COUGHING
FEEL DIZZY /
LIGHT
HEADED /
NAUSEA
HEADACHE
LACRAMATION
RASH
NAUESA
IRRITATION /
BURNING TO
NOSE & LUNGS
SKIN IRRITANT
75
SKIN /
RESPIRATORY
SENSITIZATION
EVALUATION (Qualitative)
Waste streams and work procedures should be
reviewed prior to handling
Understand all or ask for review by and IH:
• What are the waste characteristics?
• At what concentrations?
• Does the waste have an exposure limits?
• How will the waste be handled?
• What are the hazards of the material?
• What types of controls are in place?
• What happens if I spill the material?
76
EVALUATION (Qualitative)
Summary
Your educated and experienced judgment will help you to:
• Determine if an exposure over ½ an OEL is likely
• If air sampling is required
• If controls are necessary
77
EVALUATION (Quantitative)
Quantitative Exposure Assessment
Must be
conducted by
an
experienced
Industrial
Hygienist
Measurement
of the stressor
for
comparison to
OELs
78
EVALUATION (Quantitative)
Examples of things to consider
Before collecting samples
After collecting samples
•
•
•
•
•
•
Determine the stressor
What OEL(s) will I use
What laboratory will I use
Sampling & calibration equipment
Sampling strategy
•
•
•
79
How to interpret the results
Determine recommendations for
corrective actions based on
results
Document the monitoring results
Inform the employee
EVALUATION (Quantitative)
More to consider
WHO
Maximum Risk vs. All Employees
WHERE
Personal vs. Area Sample
WHEN
Grab vs. Integrated Sample
How
Active vs. Passive vs. Direct Reading
80
EVALUATION (Quantitative)
Results may demonstrate
Above ½ OEL
• Need for more effective engineering or
PPE controls
• The potential hazards of an operation
• The need for safer work practices
Below ½ OEL
•
•
•
•
Relative safety of the operation
Effectiveness of controls
Effectiveness of safe work practices
Company/regulatory compliance
81
CONTROLS
Airborne Exposure Prevention
•
•
Generation of airborne contaminants
Contact with the body
CONTROLS
Hierarchy of Controls
Change the process to eliminate hazard, use
a less toxic chemical, use a less hazardous
process etc.
Transfer waste in fume hoods, safety
interlocks, lead shielding, inert atmospheres,
guarding, etc.
Implement procedures and policies, train
employees, post warning signs, etc.
Safety glasses, goggles, chemical protective
gloves and apron, face shield, lab coats, etc.
83
CONTROLS
Combination of Controls
Typically a combination of methods used simultaneously
•
•
•
•
•
•
Fume hood
Hood use training
Chemical safety training
Written SOP on specific procedure
Gloves, eye protection, lab coat
Waste disposal methods training
CONTROLS
Elimination / Substitution
• Work with researchers
to eliminate waste
stream
85
CONTROLS
Engineering - Remove or isolate the hazard
• Use local exhaust snorkel
• Transfer waste in lab exhaust hood or glove box
• Use plastic vs. glass containers
• Use bottle carriers
• Sharps containers
• Plastic lined container
• Secondary containers
CONTROLS
Administrative
• Material handling techniques
• Limits on container size
• RCRA / DOT requirements
• Good housekeeping
• No eating / drinking at worksite
• Personal hygiene
• Medical monitoring program
87
CONTROLS
Personal Protective Equipment
• Gloves
• Lab coat / Apron / Tyvek®
• Face shield / goggles
• Respiratory protection
• Proper removal /disposal
• Decontamination
88
ANTICIPATION / RECOGNITIION
Summary – Do your homework
Toxicology / Health Effects – How material effects the body
Routs of Entry – How it enters the body
Exposure Limits - How much is allowed
Physical Properties of Chemicals – How will it behave
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HOW WILL
IT BEHAVE
Evaluation
Summary – Qualitative vs. Quantitative
What can you “predict", in general,
what will happen to:
• Particulates generated when a bottle breaks
• The vapors of liquids when you pour off
waste
• A liquid when it is spilled
• Mix different waste streams
Do you need to sample?
90
CONTROLS
Summary - Prevention
•
•
Generation of airborne contaminants
Contact with the body
Thank You, Any Questions?
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